Bargains

[Bryn]

Back to the matter of Beethoven string quartet boxes. Though I know at least one fellow contributor disagrees, I share with Mark Sealey his enthusiasm among more recently
recent set for that on Warner from the Endellion. It also has the advantage of being more complete than any other set available and uses the edition of the scores prepared in cooperation with them by Jonathan Del Mar.

[Bryn]

I think modern rather than period instrument, Bryn: thanks. I've now found some good offers on Presto Classical too - Barenboim, Brendel, Peraiha, Ashkenazy and Geza Anda among them.

Where Barenboim is concerned I would go for his earlier set with the ECO, rather than the later Berlin box. You can't go wrong with Anda though.

[kernelbogey]

Where Barenboim is concerned I would go for his earlier set with the ECO, rather than the later Berlin box. You can't go wrong with Anda though.

Thanks for the tip, Bryn. Both are under £20 at Presto.

BW, kb

(BTW I try to avoid the river people, on ethical grounds. Just saying.)

[Thropplenoggin]

Mozart Piano Concertos: I've tried unsuccessfully to search this thread for any recommendations. I'd like a box set (not necessarily complete) for a gift for a friend.

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

Thanks, kb

Uchida.

[kernelbogey]

Uchida.

Bless you.

[Stanfordian]

Mozart Piano Concertos: I've tried unsuccessfully to search this thread for any recommendations. I'd like a box set (not necessarily complete) for a gift for a friend.

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

Thanks, kb

Hiya kernelbogey,
In the Mozart Piano Concertos I would try Barenboim playing and directing the Berliner Philharmoniker.

[Bryn]

Uchida.

You kidding? Maybe as a supplement, but surely not as a sole set?

[Thropplenoggin]

You kidding? Maybe as a supplement, but surely not as a sole set?

No.

I can think of no better introdution to the concertos for kb's friend, if that is what it is intended to be for. If so, then they won't be bothered about questions of performance practice.

Uchida is a wonderful Mozartian. Her account of the sonatas is even more impressive.

[verismissimo]

... You can't go wrong with Anda though.

Seconded.

[Dave2002]

Personally speaking, I have the Alban Berg set (EMI) which I imagine is one of the definitive versions - if indeed such a thing exists, and the Juilliard set; their last set made I think, in the early 1970s... have to check. I think this is a fine set - very generally they certainly don't let the listener doze off!

I have all the Alban Berg CDs - which are very good - but I do think they are over aggressive in some (many?) of the works. Indeed, they may actively prevent the listener dozing off, IIRC. There is no single way to play these pieces, and different groups do bring different views and insights.

[Dave2002]

Where Barenboim is concerned I would go for his earlier set with the ECO, rather than the later Berlin box. You can't go wrong with Anda though.

I would pretty much second that view - though I don't know the Anda set particularly well, and again in fairness I'm not sure that the Barenboim/Berlin set should be discounted - though this is because I've hardly heard any of it. The earlier set is definitely OK. I was going to rail against the suggestion of Uchida - but then I realised that I have enjoyed some of her performances with Tate on her earlier set. She has been re-recording some of these concertos in recent years. It's hard to get a version of the whole lot which is satisfying - perhaps impossible. I believe that Malcolm Bilson is very good - but then that's not using a modern piano. Ashkenazy has done a set - and although I've not heard many of that set, I would expect it to be good. Maybe others can comment.

Others have recommended Perahia, but although I have the box set, I have to say I've never really got into it. I thought I disliked Perahia, but oddly I heard some Bach played by him on a piano (not something I'd normally like) which is outstanding - so it's not that I'm anti Perahia, and have since gone out of my way to buy more CDs by him - just not Mozart! I much prefer some pianists in individual works - for example Stephen Bishop-Kovacevich in the later concertos (Philips - though he also did some again for EMI), and also Richard Goode. Brendel is good in some early concertos, but I found his performances of some of the later ones rather dull - though I'm thinking of the Philips recordings. Some of the earlier Vox recordings are OK - though the recordings themselves might be considered vintage.

Ingrid Haebler's set is very expensive - from Korea - and may now not seem as good as it once did.

So ... Barenboim ECO is a fairly safe choice, Uchida + Tate may be OK, Ashkenazy probably OK - but needs further investigation. I shall now indulge in a serious listen to some of Anda's recordings, and I note that some people have set up comparison playlists on Spotify - for example - http://open.spotify.com/album/7d00n7cSaE3OClzEXVhcy9 Kempff/Anda in K488 - there are other comparison playlists - just search for Anda.

Sorry not to be more helpful!

[Pianorak]

Probably not helpful either.

Artur Rubinstein RCA Victor SO – A Wallenstein & J Krisps
Mozart Concertos Nos 17, 20, 21, 23 and 24

Must admit haven't listened to them in years, but remember being quite taken with them when first heard.

[mathias broucek]

I have Barenboim/ECO and Perahia/ECO. Both excellent.

Individual discs from Uchida/Tate now very cheap 2nd hand on marketplace (for those not dodging Amazon)

[Rolmill]

That Alicia De Larrocha set is marvellous. I've just acquired it but paid 14 quid. Still good value.

Oh good - I just bought it on spec (thanks again, Hafod!) and am looking forward to sampling. So long as the recordings are acceptable it seems like a terrific bargain - 83p per CD

[visualnickmos]

...There is no single way to play these pieces, and different groups do bring different views and insights.

Absolutely.